1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to two-bearing reels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known reel of this type, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-39027, comprises a first side plate, a second side plate, and a spool shaft rotatably supported by the two side plates through bearings, the spool shaft having one end extending outwardly of the first side plate disposed adjacent a handle. This outward extension carries a pinion gear to be rotatable and axially slidable, which pinion gear is meshed with a master gear driven by the handle. The pinion gear has an end face opposed to the first side plate and defining an elliptic clutch opening having parallel dihedrals or widths across flats. The spool shaft defines a clutch barrel having dihedrals engageable with this clutch opening. A torque produced by operating the handle is transmitted to the spool through engagement between clutch barrel and clutch opening, while the spool is made freely rotatable when the engagement therebetween is broken.
The known construction noted above is capable of minimizing deflection of the spool shaft between the first and second side plates, and of carrying out the clutching function for making and breaking the torque transmission. However, the bending stress of the spool shaft tends to concentrate on the clutch barrel since the clutch barrel has parallel dihedrals or width across flats formed by cutting peripheral surfaces of the spool shaft so that the clutch barrel has a substantially reduced sectional area compared with an adjacent sectional area. Thus, when a great reaction force acts on the teeth of the master gear and pinion gear with engagement of the two gears, the spool shaft becomes deformed which could impair the engagement between the two gears.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 50-21392, for example, shows a different reel which has no such drawback relating to the spool shaft. According to this publication, the spool shaft includes a pin projecting diametrically outwardly therefrom, and the pinion gear defines slot (or engaging grooves) for engagement with the pin. Torque transmission between the pinion gear and spool shaft is made or broken by engaging and disengaging the pin and slot.
In fishing, generally, a suitable fishing line is selected according to the type or size of fish to be caught. It is desirable to change fishing lines as wound on respective spools. The spool shaft normally is removably inserted through the second side plate toward the first side plate because the first side plate has a complicated construction with a drive mechanism including the master gear driven by a handle operation and the pinion gear for meshing with the master gear.
Of the two known constructions noted above, the latter has the advantage of increased strength of the spool shaft over the former. However, if in the latter construction the spool shaft rotatably supported by the first and second side plates were removable through the second side plate, the pin projecting from peripheries of the spool shaft would be blocked by an end face of the bearing fixed to the first side plate and unable to pass through the axial bore of the bearing. Therefore, the spool fixedly mounted on the spool shaft would not be readily removable from the reel. This poses a problem that the spool is not easily interchangeable for changing fishing lines.